Of Middies and Princes
by EdgeTraveller
Summary: Newkirk never liked Clankers, but he can't ignore this one.
1. Chapter 1

Deryn snorted at the tea that had stained the napkin like a mocking grin.

'Watch where you're going, Mr. Newkirk'.

'I can't fashion meself some break lights like them fancy machines, Mr. Sharp', said Newkirk. 'This is prince Alek's cabin, this is'.

'Then get on with it', said Deryn. She was angry that Mr. Rigby had made her serve the count's breakfast, while Newkirk took on the new arrivals, the Clankers that had escaped to Istambul, but that, gladly, were back.

'It's odd, isn't it? Serving a prince his breakfast. And a Clanker prince to booth'.

'Aye. But if you prefer to take on Volger, by all means...'

'Not in a million years. He gives me the creeps. Alek's more...'

Deryn raised an eyebrow and Newkirk shifted his tray and let her pass, whilst knocking at the door with his boot. 'Come in', there came a voice with a formal accent. The midshipman entered the room, but discovered that the Clanker prisoner was fast asleep in his bed.

'What the...', perhaps Alek talked in his sleep. Those Clankers were certainly odd.

Then Newkirk heard something chuckling and realized it had been the strange creature Dylan and Alek carried around that had spoken in Alek's voice. The midshipman snorted and put down the tray, staining the napkin with tea.

'Drats'. He leaned to wake Alek. He slept with his head all tilted to one side, so his firm jawline was sticking out, sewn with delicacy to his neck. His shirt was tugged down so he could glimpse a hint of chest with the pink stamp of a nipple on it.

Newkirk rubbed the blush off his face. He remembered when those strange Austrians had entered the airship, making a huge fuss with them engines and all. Alek was but a little boy tagging along with them, all haughty and stiff, but the midshipman guessed that those months working on the engines, and on the walkers back in Istambul, had drawn his arms in a firm, stronger way. And he was much kinder. For some reason, Dylan enjoyed his company and teached him how to spit and curse. Newkirk couldn't help but feel he was the guy that wasn't Alek.

He shook Alek really hard, who sat up startled.

'Your Highness'.

'Ah. Gut- I mean... Good morning'.

'Your breakfast's here. Anything you need?'.

'Thank you, Mr. Newkirk. No'.

Newkirk fingered his tie nervously. Then he strode off and shut the door with a bang that made Alek shudder. Then he sighed. Of course most Darwinists still saw him as a strange enemy, or as a haughty prisoner, and before they had joined the war they couldn't have possibly imagined they'd be serving him his breakfast. He wondered if Dylan couldn't do it instead now that he couldn't fetch it himself. The way Newkirk was staring at him as he awoke was rather hateful, which was odd, since the midshipman was usually nice.

'Highness', chuckled Bovril. 'Anything you need?'

Alek shot him a cold look as he squeezed the napkin dry. He ate his breakfast slowly, since he'd probably be left to pace around his cabin with no news of his present situation.

He had no visitors, and when night was falling he decided to peek out the door and ask the guard for a stroll outside, with Dylan if he wasn't too busy.

The corridor was silent, humming in the familiar sickly green light. There was no guard at his door. Alek cursed in German. Had he known, he'd gone for a stroll hours ago.

'What are you doing?', came a voice. It was Newkirk again, carrying a lantern.

'Oh. I was... there was no guard. I wanted to go look for Dylan'.

'You and Dylan are real chums, aren't you?'

Alek wasn't fond of the way Newkirk was staring at him, quite firmly. The midshipman covered the lantern with a black cloth and everything fell into darkness. Alek reached for his knife and prepared to shout for help. He pressed his back tensely against the wall.

'I warn you I will at once report any hateful behaviour, sir'.

Newkirk pressed his hands against the wall on either side of Alek. The prince felt his wrists against his ribs.

'I don't like Clankers', said Newkirk.

'I don't go around saying I don't like Darwinists', said Alek.

'Of course you don't. I see you, always hugging Dylan, putting a hand on his arm, an arm around his shoulders...'

Alek opened wide his eyes, trying to see something he was missing. His mind was freezing in complete puzzlement.

'What do you mean?'

'You know Dylan isn't like us'.

'_Mr_. Sharp', came Bovril's voice from inside the cabin.

'Like what?!'

Alek felt Newkirk's hands on his ribs, then on his back. He felt his shirt untuck like a weary sigh.

'SIR!', he shouted, slamming himself against the closed door. He fumbled for Newkirk's hands, but the midshipman seemed to think he was helping him, and his cold hands were suddenly inside his shirt, sending hot shivers all over his body. 'What are you doing?!'

'I said I don't like Clankers. But I like you'.


	2. Chapter 2

Alek had closed his eyes and held onto Newkirk's arms. Maybe he was so scared he wouldn't budge. 'We're never going anywhere', said Newkirk. Alek let his cheek graze on the midshipman's, he let his hands hold him tight under his arms, to lift him against the warm door. For some reason, that made him feel... masculine.

He was suddenly robbed of the warmth, though, when with a hiss Newkirk was thrown against the opposite wall. The lantern was thrown to the floor and light exploded in the corridor. Volger pushed a knife against the midshipman's throat, his face of stone hit by lightning. He stood like a dark, menacing praying mantis, bending over Newkirk.

'Had I not seen half the story' he hissed 'I'd report you here and now. Or worse'.

Alek was absolutely horrified, feeling his legs give away like jelly. He slid down the wall like a scared child.

'Go. Now. And do not do as much as even looking at Aleksandar ever again'.

Newkirk was gone around the bend with a frightened look over his shoulder when Volger suddenly turned to Alek, the knife still in his hand.

'Get up'.

Alek started trembling instead. Volger bent over and held him up by his arm, forcing his way into his cabin.

'I will not dare to imagine what caused you to be a part of that! You fool! You idiot! What if someone had seen you?!', Volger shouted in German. 'Have you feelings for this commoner, this... I don't know what's going on in your head, Alek, but I cannot _believe_ this!'

'Nothing's going on in my head! I _don't_ have any feelings for him or for anyone!', shouted Alek.

'Then was it my mistake to assume you were allowing him to be that close to you?'

Alek put his head in his hands.

'It was just so warm', he whispered. Volger fell silent.

'Alek. Will you give me your word that that was nothing?'

'I give you my word'.

'I give you my word', came a voice, with a chuckle. Volger and Alek stared horrified at the loris, completely forgotten under the bed, and now climbing onto the chair with a maniac laugh.

'I _don't_ have any feelings for him. My mistake? _Mr_. Sharp'.

Someone was knocking at the door. Deryn opened it and took a peek.

'I _don't_ have any feelings!_ Mr_. Sharp', said Bovril 'Dylan isn't like us. My mistake?'

Deryn raised an eyebrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Newkirk knocked with his boot again. This time, Alek opened the door himself. He looked as if he hadn't slept that night, his eyes sunken in deep shadows. A very recent scar was visible on his forehead. He had risked his life to save Dylan, out on the upper side of the airship, as far as he knew. A fine way to make peace, it seemed, since those two had been angry for quite some time. Newkirk thought it was a bit too extreme, but to tell the truth, Alek and Dylan were both crazy.

The midshipman put down the tray on the desk. He had not spoken to Alek since that night.

'Did the count...'

'He did not'.

Newkirk sighed.

'If he told on you', said Alek. 'he'd be telling on me. I suppose. We just don't want to raise suspicions, so it'll be best for us if only us four know of it. And forget it'.

'Us _four_?'

Alek turned away. 'I told De-Dylan, of course. There are no secrets between us. At least not anymore'.

'You told Dylan... what... what did he say?'

'He... was very distressed, in his usual way. But that did not matter'.

'But what did I do anyway?', grunted Newkirk. He was annoyed at Alek's back turned to him. 'You liked it, don't deny it!'

Alek turned around, and when he spoke, his voice sounded like the echos in the angles of the machines, so thick was his accent.

'No.'

'You liked it!'

'But right now I...'

'But it's true!', Newkirk took a step closer, but Alek raised his hands.

'Newkirk...'

'I'll prove it to you. You've been lonely all your life!'.

Alek hesitated.

'I don't need any sort of proof. I'm tired of proof', he said. It was true. Deryn's actions up when they were facing that storm had thrown his mind out the window. Would it be possible that every midshipman, boy or girl, in that airship was in love with him? Didn't they realize he was to inherit a throne and stop the war along with Tesla? What could they want with him, he didn't go around throwing flowers over their heads

Newkirk took Alek's shirt colar with his hands.

'What did I do anyway?', he whispered. 'You didn't even let me finish'.

'Finish what?', Alek said, whipering without realizing it. He could hear a voice in his head saying "not again", but it was muffled by the brush of lips against his own. He felt them burning, and a noisy headache started pounding lightly on the side of his head.

'It's no use', said Alek, pushing him away gently. 'I have to stop this war'.


	4. Chapter 4

Deryn spinned in circles to free herself from Tazza's leash.

Maybe spinning would set her head right too.

There was no future in kissing Alek, and she still couldn't believe she had done it after they were friends again. Still, it didn't change anything, and that was all the proof she needed. At least he had finally realized that she was a girl.

It had still shocked her that Alek had already kissed someone before her. In her head, princes were never allowed outside and never even met people their own age. At first she was thinking of some royal-blooded girl, and she had clenched her fists at the thought of pearly lace and golden tiaras instead of hidrogen and ties so close to Alek's face, but when she heard it had been Newkirk... well, for some reason she was so relieved Alek hadn't been even friends with the likes of princess Anastasia and all, that she had laughed. That also had seemed to make Alek feel better about something he considered so serious.

And she knew that if Alek didn't love her, he wouldn't love Newkirk.

But at least everything was settled. He'd leave for America in a few days, along with Tesla, and Deryn(and Newkirk for that matter) would be leaving with the Leviathan. A fine wrap-up, though not the one she wished.

Deryn walked along the planks near the gut of the beastie, watching Tazza hopping after a lost bee. The wind was stronger there. Deryn still wondered if did love her. She knew so. But that boy's head was set in the mode of "ending war", besides the fact that they both knew of his secret right to the throne.

She knew Alek didn't want a throne. He didn't want Tesla's company. Why didn't he go for what he truly wanted?

Deryn cursed in German. It wasn't fair that the daft prince had Bovril most of the time. He didn't understand half of what the beastie said, while Deryn could do with some clues.

Alek couldn't possibly want Newkirk, could he?

She started making her way to the bridge, kicking her step faster. She'd go to meet him, ask him for Bovril, take him for a stroll with Tazza. There was still so much she wanted to talk about before he left her for good, before he left her for America.

There was someone on the corridor. It was Volger's thin profile, staring at her with a sneer.

'Looking for Alek, are you, _Mr_. Sharp?'

'Yes', she said with a cold bullet ready on her stare.

'Well he's locked inside his cabin and won't answer', the count said. 'I was tempted to take down the door, but I heard your most whimsical choice of words just around the bend...'

'Maybe... he's just sleeping. Resting. From his broken head'.

Volger sighed, and looked up as if to shake off the memory of Alek's persistent knitting of unfortune events.

'I don't suppose you have the keys'

Deryn clenched her fists. If she refused to help the count, he'd tell on her. But then, Alek knew she was girl, which changed things. The count couldn't do anything now because his hands were tied by Alek. She couldn't help but smiling at the thought of Alek trying to protect her from the evil old count.

Of course the man was just trying to do his job, though.

'Maybe', she said simply. The count shot her a dark look.

'I'll return later', he hissed, and, with a last look of despise running along Tazza's shadow, he left. Deryn let out a sigh of relief and came near Alek's door. She could hear what seemed like people tidying up a room as quickly as they could before their mother came home. And something that sounded like a baby duck.

She knocked. 'Alek?'

Newkirk froze.

'The war can wait', he whispered to Alek's neck.


	5. Chapter 5

Deryn felt her knuckles painfully twist inwards.

'DERYN!', shouted Alek.

'Deryn?!', Newkirk's voice came squeezed out of his stomach.

She rubbed the angry shadow that had blinded her at the sight of Alek's fingers on Newkirk's hair, and found herself between the two boys. But in a second, the two midshipmen were on the floor in a heap of fists and claws.

'No, no, please stop!', Alek put his arms around Deryn and tried to lift her off, which caused her to stop for an odd second. Enough for her to load a kick in Newkirk's leg that would break any tree. Then Alek watched in slow motion as Newkirk's fist missed Deryn's ear and flew into his nose.

'Alek!'

Blood stained his pilot jacket and sent red streaks running through Deryn's blond hair. When she looked over her shoulder, he saw an odd lace of stars around her eyes like a strange pair of glasses, or a mask. He thought she looked quite beautiful.

'Are we going to the masquerade?', he asked 'But I don't have a costume'.

Deryn bit into her lip. There was that stupid gaze on his face, which happened any time Alek was in the wrong place at the wrong time and managed to trip and break something. But the heat of the fight was still alive and she turned in time to avoid Newkirk ripping out one of her ears. His cheeks were ablaze.

'You're a GIRL.', he accused her.

'Say that again and I'll throw you out the window! Alek, get off me, or it's in for you as well!'

Alek's nose was throbbing and he couldn't see anything beyond Deryn's blond and red hair, but he didn't let her go, and for an answer he found himself cursing everyone in that airship(including Volger, Dr. Barlow, Tesla, and several others who weren't aboard) in a series of languages from Istanbul to his own country and around the Japanese bend and the Scottish embassy. Even Deryn shuddered, and Bovril covered his tiny mouth with a paw.

'Most whimsical, your Highness'.

The three of them stood upright before the captain's desk, who was finishing a letter slowly and carefully. Deryn's hands were clenched and she wouldn't even do as much as looking at anyone sideways. Her right eye was as black as an eyepatch. Newkirk's hair was all over his forehead and his lip was bleeding. Alek held the captain's silk handkerchief to his nose.

'Are we going to the masquerade?', chuckled Bovril.

'You'd better take care of that as soon as we're done here, you're Highness', said the captain, looking up.

'You're a_ girl'_, Bovril told him in a very serious tone. He stared at Bovril, without realizing his elbow was smearing what he had written.

Deryn snorted. Of course captain Hobbes was making it clear Alek wasn't a crew member, not to mention a barking prince and Tesla's pet. She contnined as evil smile, however, at the sight of Alek's jaw going stiff at this preference. Then she remembered how sad that made him feel.

'Besides, your Highness was clearly trying to break our midshipmen appart when you were interrupted. I can only apologize for their behaviour and wish you will forget this unfortunate event'.

Deryn flinched. He was talking as if she and Newkirk were little children, which sent shame burning up her cheeks.

'But I...', started Alek, and fell silent. Captain Hobbes allowed himself to smile.

'Oh, and count Volger wishes to have a word with you, of course'.

Alek went pale.

'My mistake?', whispered Bovril.

'I-I... I can...? May I... thank you'.

'Good afternoon, your Highness'.

Alek bowed and left.

'How was it?', he asked Deryn when she came outside. It seemed as if she wasn't going to answer, but then she said 'He told us that if we had left some stamps on your face like the one you see on mine, we'd be in real hot water. Your Highness has to look good in the pictures when he makes his grand entrace in the states. Don't forget to hold Tesla's hand'.

That came like a kick in Alek's stomach.

'Deryn, I didn't start it, you were the one who-'

'Stop calling me that!', she hissed.

'My mistake?'

'But Dylan, you were the one who punched Newkirk, you didn't have to-'

'That doesn't matter to the captain'.

'It matters to me'.

'If you want me to apologize for breaking up your snog', said Deryn 'before Volger or anyone found you, I can't ignore a royal order', and she curtsied.

'A snog? What's the German word for that?'

Deryn stared at him blankly.

'But you kissed me. You kissed me and Newkirk didn't go at you', Alek went on. He didn't say he didn't especially mind that Deryn had shown how

Deryn snorted. That was true.

'Well don't worry. Mr. Newkirk and I are friends again. Nothing like a good old punch', she said. And indeed, boys had this amazing way of solving quarrels with fighting, like going for a jog when one's angry.

'I'll say', said Alek into the handkerchief. That, however, did not eliminate what Deryn had said to him. 'It's not my fault that they treat me like this. You know just as well as me that I wish I could have been inside that office being scolded by the captain'.

'If that's what you miss, I wouldn't worry. You're in for some good old Volger scolding. Can he shout louder than your father did?'.

Alek bit his lip, and suddenly felt like the smallest, youngest boy in the world. Deryn covered her mouth with her hand and cursed into it.

'Why are you being like this?', he asked, his voice trembling. 'Is it because I don't...?'

'I'm sorry, Alek. I still can't understand what I saw. Or what I did. Or anything. Please forgive me, you know what I mean'.

'I know. And... I'm sorry I let Newkirk know who you are when I promised I'd do anything to protect your secret'.

'Barking spiders, Alek, don't apologize to _me._ Besides, Newkirk already knew'.

'What?!'

'I know! Well, he was suspicious at least. One more person I have to kill', she laughed. 'And... he said he was sorry he kissed you...'

Alek felt himself blushing.

'He said...' Deryn hesitated 'He said he didn't really... well, he said he was only getting close to you to get close... to _me_'.

'To find out you were a girl from my own mouth?!', that seemed very unhonorable to Alek, not to mention a violation of privacy, something he was starting to cherish immensely now he was running out of it.

'Almost. He wanted to find out if there was anything between us. Since he knew I was a girl'.

'But...'

'My mistake?', said Bovril. 'You're a girl. To get close to _me_'.

'And he was doing it', she went on 'because he wanted to know if the coast was clear'.

'Clear of what?'

'Clear of you'

'I still don't understand-'

'To get close to _me_', whispered Bovril.

Alek's eyes widened.

'Newkirk likes _you_?!'

Deryn turned away and left without another word.

And Alek was past feeling used, since he was already used to it.

He felt jealous.


	6. Chapter 6

Alek felt someone's arms around his waist, lifting him up from the black ground.

'Alek', said someone, breathing heavily. 'Are you alright?'

'Let me go!', Alek shouted, when he saw Tesla's face over his shoulder. 'Let me go, you're dead!'

'But Alek...'

A mustache was growing over Tesla's lip. He was growing tall, and stern, and his eyes shone coldly. He had turned into Volger.

'Are you alright?', the count asked.

The relief he had felt was turning into darkness, like the moon going out. He saw glass shards glinting in the moonlight before his gloves, he felt the scent of scorched flesh.

'Are you alright, Alek? Answer me'.

But Deryn was alive. She was alive and well and he realized then-

He let out a sob, feeling like a small child.

'There there', said Volger, putting an arm around him and helping him up. 'Come on, your Highness. You did the right thing'.

But then, Volger was growing thin and shorter. It was quite sudden. His mustache fell the floor with a strange clang, at Alek's feet. And when the young prince looked up, he was staring at Deryn.

'Deryn! I thought- I feared-'

'What did you think, your Highness?', Deryn said, still with Volger's voice, which sounded quite frightening.

'What... Deryn, you... you...'

'Are you sure you're alright?'

Alek woke up with a start.

'Alek', muttered Bovril in a kind tone, and he saw his eyes in the moonlight. He stared at the beatie. It had been the first time he had heard him saying his name. He rubbed his eyes, but a voice at the door made him jump with a shout.

'Sorry, your princeliness', said Deryn. Alek looked at her. 'You were having a nightmare, weren't you?'

'I was... Tesla turned into, into-'

Deryn sat on the bed beside him. Alek pulled up his blanket, feeling ashamed that Deryn she saw him in a nightshirt, which was strange. Even captain Hobbes and Dr Barlow had seen him lying in his bed, though that happened when he was injured.

'Did you have a busy day?', he asked her, trying to change the subject.

'Not really', she said, looking down at her injured knee. 'Newkirk and I-'

Alek frowned. He wondered where the two midshipmen stood. He suddenly realized he had lost so much time. All those weeks after the kiss, when he had thought of nothing but the end of the war. And he didn't love her. He talked of destiny and providence, but he had never realized what he himself was saying.

But now he did. He'd kill one hundred Teslas for her.

But saying "I love you" did not exist in their world. They said destiny and providence. That's all it took.

He wondered if Deryn still loved him, and the possibility that she had now moved on to Newkirk left him on his knees.

'...we fed the bats'.

Alek sighed, feeling sad.

'Does Newkirk still like you?', he couldn't help it.

Deryn got up, and she left with a mischievous smile before closing the door.

'Newkirk', said Bovril in the darkness, 'We fed the bats'.


	7. Chapter 7

Deryn stared at the clouds drifting by.

She wondered if she should have waited.

Alek's homeland was devastated. It was being thorn to pieces and falling into chaos and misery now the war was over, sliding slowly into dictatorship as the years passed. And of course, he blamed himself for throwing away his throne for a girl instead of feeding his people. That's why he couldn't look Volger in the eye.

'They would have gotten rid of you anyway', Deryn used to tell him.

He had still wanted to go there. And there he had stayed for two years.

Now he was back.

Deryn knew she should have waited.

She let go of Newkirk's hand as soon as the prince's foot touched an inch of England. She ran to him, across the platform, and all she could see were the clouds behind the airship, as if she were about to jump into them like a bird taking flight. It was starting to rain cold water and chilly wind despite the warm summer weather.

Newkirk called after her, but the seconds were pounding in her ears.

She should have waited.

If only she had waited.

Alek had put her first before an empire, why couldn't she have given him a year?

Deryn threw herself into his arms, knocking down his suitcases with great clatter. But what mattered was that embrace, tied up by the sudden breeze. She could hear the rain drops falling with shyness on their coats. All of a sudden, Deryn could feel that wonderful scent all of Alek's shirts had, that reminded her of the waltzes in Vienna, though she had never been there. And indeed he made her turn with a hand in hers as if she was wearing a ball skirt and they were in his old home, in a happy waltz, followed by him introducing her to his parents with that faint smile he always did when he was proud of something.

It was the first time they actually _could_ do that. Alek remembered that time when he had gotten a medal and he had wanted to throw himself in her arms like Bovril did.

'Mr. Sharp!', chuckled Bovril. 'My mistake?'

'And you too, little beastie', she said with a sad smile.

'Your hair is... two inches longer!', Alek said with a smile. His eyes went over her shoulder and found Newkirk. 'Newkirk! Hallo!'

'Wait, where's count Volger?'

'He stayed in Austria. He's protecting the native fauna against invading fabricated species'.

Alek and Newkirk shook hands, but Alek's eyes were dark, and they flickered when Newkirk put a hand in Deryn's shoulder.

'I think we may have a situation', Newkirk said. Deryn bit her lip and looked up into the clouds.

'What sort of situation?'

'Alek. How could I not move on? The war ended and a week after you just left, without telling me for how long you'd be away. Months passed and all I got were short telegrams!'

Alek's lip trembled with his puzzlement.

'Do you have any idea the state Austria is in? They nearly killed me for having turned my back on them. I wrote you letters and letters, but there was no way of sending them'.

He took a bundle of letters from his inside pocket, where the Pope's letter used to be kept, and handed them over to Deryn, who felt rage rising up in her.

'And I'm back. I'm here. In England.'

'I'm in England too', said Newkirk.

Everyone stared at each other in silence as the wind whistled by. Bovril was restless in Alek's shoulder, but quiet.

'Where's Dr. Barlow, please?', Alek asked, and Deryn rolled her eyes at the politeness running through his suddenly stiff accent. There was the diplomatic backbone everyone seemed to have but her. Of course, even they lost it sometimes. She could remember Alek's bitterness the night he found out she was a girl.

And of course with no count Volger, he was turning to Dr. Barlow.

'Alek...', she started.

'Kiss me, won't you.', Alek said. 'I might turn into a prince again'

And he walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

Newkirk was looking at Deryn, angrily clawing at the phone inside the red phone booth.

'It was worth it', he said. She looked up.

'What was?'

'Everything. Kissing him to find out who he liked. Puching his nose by mistake. Kissing you by mistake...'

Deryn tucked the phone between her shoulder and her ear. 'Don't talk like that', she said. 'Yes... yes? Doctor Barlow? I'm using one of those Clanker things they've got on the streets now. Yes. Yes, they are. Listen, is Alek with you?'

Newkirk put his hands in his pockets and watched a Huxley drifting by above their heads. He sighed, and he missed the Air Navy.

'No, I don't want to talk with Bovril! Listen... listen, tell him I'm going there. Okay. I don't care'.

'I miss the Air Navy', Newkirk told her. 'I think I'm going back'.

'But what about Dr. Barlow and the Zoo?', Deryn exclaimed as they walked down the pale fabricated stone streets of London.

'Alek can have it', said Newkirk. 'I don't want it anymore. Or at least, I think he wants it more than me. After all, he's got nowhere to go, now that he's basically got no country, no family, no friends, no citizenship, no title, no money...'

Deryn snorted.

'You're not joining the Air Navy again'.

'I'm going to join the Air Navy again'.

'What about me?'

'What about Alek?'

'You don't care about Alek'

'But you do. Go on, go care about Alek'

Deryn held his hand as they walked down the street, but when they reached a certain platform, she took it away and waved. Newkirk put a hand on her shoulder and kissed the corner of her lip.

And he left with a tip of his hat.

Now it was up to Alek to take her back.


	9. Chapter 9

Deryn had wondered why Alek hadn't fought back that night when she pushed and punched him after he found out she was a girl. He had hesitated... and turned away. She guessed Alek would never fight with a girl.

Well, now they were on the floor and he was pushing her against the legs of Dr. Barlow's armchair. The doctor was having her tea in it, and she casually asked them if they wanted milk in their tea once they had finished their fight. Alek declined. Deryn's fist sunk deep into his stomach, which made him curse in Italian.

It reminded her very much of fond memories with Jaspert!

'Why does everyone keep betraying me?'

'I didn't betray you, I moved on! And I was scared! I was scared, okay?'

Alek lightened his grip, but kept Deryn pinned against the floor to keep her from punching him.

'Scared'.

'Scared that you would find some princess and marry her! Or a rich girl, I don't know!'

'Is that what you think? After I threw away an empire for you? Will everyone keep thinking I'm a spoiled rich prince no matter what I do?'

'Well, I wouldn't say they'd think you're still a prince, Mr. Hohenberg', said Dr. Barlow, pouring three squares of sugar in her tea.

'I don't think you're any of those things!', shouted Deryn, struggling to break free. 'But we're meant to be together!'

Alek dodged her elbow, the accidently flew by his nose, and she kissed his lips as quietly as she could, while Dr. Barlow chatted with her loris. She felt a sudden heat go up the bridge of her nose when she felt Alek's breath close to her face after their lips parted.

'England's a strange place', Alek said. 'But I like it'.

And Deryn knew that sort of thing, in their own special language, always meant "I love you".

'Tea?'


End file.
